Keith Fletcher Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County, President & CEO We’re used to bringing kids to our five clubs. Now we’re bringing our latest “club” directly to them. Through June, we’ve been hosting a kind of popup program at Martin County High School that’s modeled after our Club at Jensen Beach High School. It introduces key facets of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County to a fresh cohort of young people who are at an important stage of their lives. “While the school can help get them academically ready for graduation,” says Lori Vogel, principal of MCHS, “there’s so many things that Boys & Girls Clubs can help with, including testing, resumes, college, jobs and just figuring out what they want to do next.” Nearly 70 ninth- through 12th-graders are in the program from 9 a.m. to noon. BGCMC certified teachers help students looking to improve their performances in math, science, and English. The individualized attention increases accountability measures and overall performances. In fact, we recently assisted in conducting testing for more than 100 seniors who needed to meet final requirements for graduation. But alas, it’s summertime. Everyone deserves a break from schoolwork. Outings and activities are a big part of Club life, so we made sure the Martin County High experience was no different. Every Friday, we’ve gone on field trips to play paintball or visit Dave & Buster’s, Elev8 Fun and Rapids Waterpark. It’s fun, so word is getting out—in the best way possible. “The kids are calling their friends and saying, ‘You need to come here, this is great,’” says Vogel, “which I think is really cool and we’ve been growing all week.” Workforce development is another key part of BGCMC programming. We offer industry certifications, courses, even apprenticeships in such diverse disciplines as drone piloting, coding, fashion design, electrical, HVAC, construction, and more. A centerpiece of our offerings is our culinary program. From our food truck to our growing catering business, the BGCMC culinary program gives participants diverse opportunities to gain marketable job skills and earn a paycheck. At Martin County High School, students get a literal taste of the program. Each day, our culinary team cooks them breakfast and lunch. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, anyone who’s interested in culinary can take part. There’s always more activity during the kitchen those days. By combining academics, fun outings, and jobs training, we’re upholding the core Club principles of academics, good citizenship and nutrition and healthy lifestyles. It’s all possible thanks to our partnerships with the Martin County School Board, the district and principals such as Vogel and Andrew Connolly at Jensen Beach High. We’re excited about the program’s future potential at Martin County High as it contributes to higher graduation rates and more young people pursuing greater goals for their lives. “This program needs to be repeated because it’s helping kids,” says Vogel. “We had to move fast to get this one off the ground. But next year, we’d love to get more job training involved. When we expose them to things through Boys & Girls Clubs and they see what’s out there, they’re like, ‘I’m not just going to work at McDonald’s or Target.’” It was a great beginning and can only get better, says my colleague, Dr. Timothy Aitken. "We're grateful for the opportunity to partner with the leadership of Martin County High School and bring this experience to the students so they can not only get help academically,” says Aitken, “but also experience the acceptance and support of Club culture—discovering more of what they're interested in and capable of achieving." To read the full article and more, click here.

Keith Fletcher Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County, President & CEO We can all recall the challenges of early adolescence. The strong desire to fit in and the sting of insecurity when you felt left out. Something as simple as wearing the “wrong” brand of sneakers could easily impact your social standing. But at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Martin County, many of our members would be happy to have ANY brand of sneakers. Coach Steven Binder—founder and CEO of Project New Step Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring confidence, hope and opportunity for undeserved children—is a longtime basketball coach, skills trainer, mentor, and youth advocate. Steven created the foundation after recognizing something simple yet profound: A new pair of sneakers isn’t just a physical necessity; it can lift a child’s spirits, raise their self-esteem and confidence, and increase their sense of belonging. Coach generously volunteers his time at our Hobe Sound Club to teach our members the game he loves. He noticed that many of the kids lacked sneakers suited for running the floor, pivoting, jumping and properly enjoying the game. Some only had off-brand Crocks. Others had shoes so inadequate they resorted to playing in their socks. So, Coach stepped up—in a big way. Marshalling his network of contacts in the athletic sportswear industry, he teamed with his foundation’s outstanding board of directors. Then, with support from dedicated BGCMC donors, he secured nearly 1,500 pairs of shoes for every one of the members in the daily care of our five clubs. To help make the event a lifelong memory, BGCMC staff and his foundation created “Sneaker Celebrations.” They refashioned sections of each club to resemble a sneaker store at the mall. When the kids arrived at their respective clubs after a day at school, they experienced world-class customer service. First, they got measured for their perfect fit. This was a little for show as our team had already secured the ideal size for every child. Still, it was no small task. As any parent of multiple children can attest, kids’ feet grow fast. Imagine trying to get pairs for 1,500 kids. This lifted a significant financial burden off our families. Nearly nine in 10 of our kids hail from households that are economically constrained. Most members qualify for free/reduced lunch. We provide them with a healthy snack and meal daily, two meals a day during the summer, and backpacks full of food staples over the weekend and holidays. Thanks to the kindness of our community, we’re able to help our members with academics, workforce training, job opportunities through our culinary program, specialized vocational training and apprenticeships, and more. Now thanks to Coach Steven and Project New Step, we were able to give them something that’s pretty spectacular—the simple sense of satisfaction that comes with a new pair of cool shoes. Nike Dunks, in case you’re wondering, one of the most popular styles of retro sneakers available right now. Ideal for making sure our members can confidently put their best foot forward. To help make this free sneaker program an annual event, please visit ProjectNewStep.org.